EAST MONTPELIER — Vermont’s Washington Electric Co-op is getting a new general manager.

The East Montpelier-based co-op said Patricia Richards will succeed Avram Patt on July 1.

For the past three years Richards has been a senior consultant for a company the co-op has relied on since 1997 for power supply planning, contracting and management, renewable energy development analysis, rate design and other regulatory matters.

In addition to her work for the co-op, Richards has managed a number of significant regulatory cases in other states during that time.